David Ortiz is having his best season since 2007, rebounding after a subpar (by his standards) 200 campaign to hit 31 home runs with a 133 OPS+. With less than two weeks left in the season, the focus is shifting from Ortiz's great 2010 to wondering aloud if he'll be back with Boston in 2011.
After signing a four-year, $52 million extension before the 2006 season, the Red Sox have a club option for 2011, for $12.5 million -- but Ortiz has yet to hear if they'll pick it up, or if they'll ask him to take a pay cut. Either way, Papi is sure of where he'll be playing next year: somewhere.
"If I'm not here, I'll be somewhere," he predicted. "I guarantee you that."
"I don't feel like going anywhere else but if I have to, I have no choice," Ortiz said. "We'll see, we'll see how things go. We'll see. I took a pay cut already, five years ago. That's some homework for you."
Ortiz repeated his desire to stay with the Red Sox net year following Wednesday's win over the Orioles, saying, "Sometimes, I feel like I'm part of the family and I'm going to stick around longer but I'm not the one who takes that decision and I'm not the one that makes that move. I'm trying to do my job and hopefully they do theirs after the season."